One To Watch - Pakenham

Mark Smith - Tuesday August 18

The optimistically named Best Ever is bred to be something a bit special and he made the perfect start to his career with a professional performance in a 1400m maiden on the Pakenham Park synthetic on Tuesday.

Royally-bred Best Ever makes a winning debut at Pakenham (Natasha Morello/Racing Photos)

Ridden by Luke Nolen for trainer Peter Moody, Best Ever rode the early speed set by Moving Day before safely holding the challenge of Queen Of Rocks (Fastnet Rock) by three-quarters of a length with the same distance back to Kumo Sun (Fighting Sun) in third.

Advertisement

Carrying the colours of his breeder John Singleton, Best Ever is a son of the 4-time Champion Sire Of Australia, Snitzel, out of Singleton’s 8-time Group 1 winner More Joyous (More Than Ready).

In a fabulous career that saw her win 21 of her 33 starts ( 8 G1, 9 GII, 1 GIII and 2 Listed) while banking over $4.5 million, More Joyous has earned the right to be courted by the best around.

Her first foal, Woman, was by the undefeated champion Frankel.

After making a winning career at Canterbury back in 2017, Woman only made three more appearances, placing at Pakenham and Sandown.

A failure at Sandown in April last year brought a premature end to her career and she visited Snitzel last spring.

More Joyous as most remember her in her heyday (Mark Smith)

The second foal of More Joyous is the Fastnet Rock gelding More Sundays who had just one win in five starts for Lindsay Park and has recently been transferred to Sam Kavanagh.

Best Ever is the third foal of More Joyous who has 2yo sister to Best Ever named Joyous Legend.

After missing to Fastnet Rock in 2018, More Joyous made her second trip to Europe where she was covered once again by Frankel.

The daughter of More Than Ready (USA) out of the Group 1 AJC Australian Oaks heroine Sunday Joy (Sunday Silence) is due to foal in late October.

Advertisment

Race Result - Magic Millions Mdn Plate 1400m

Pakenham Synthetic Track: Synthetic Time: 1:28.24
1
Best Ever
- 3c Snitzel (AUS) x More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: L Nolen 57
2
0.8
Queen Of Rocks
- 3f Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Dowager Queen (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: T Dabernig & B Hayes Rdr: W Pike 55
3
1.6
Kumo Sun
- 4m Fighting Sun (AUS) x Web Of Love (AUS) (Show A Heart (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: Michael Poy 57.5
4
2.5
Moving Day
- 4m Turffontein (AUS) x Carlie Rose (AUS) (Keltrice (AUS))
Tnr: M Ellerton & S Zahra Rdr: Damien Thornton 57.5
5
5.2
Lord Wonder
- 4g Shocking (AUS) x Princess Wonder (AUS) (Desert Prince (IRE))
Tnr: E Jusufovic Rdr: M J Dee 59.5
6
5.5
Miss Conspicuous
- 4m Smart Missile (AUS) x She's Pretentious (AUS) (Royal Academy (USA))
Tnr: Michael Huglin Rdr: Ben Allen 57.5
7
5.9
Virginia
- 4m Equiano (FR) x Cait Colleen (AUS) (Carnegie (IRE))
Tnr: Shane Stockdale Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 57.5
8
7.2
Magic Kappy
- 4m Kaphero (AUS) x Riverina Magic (AUS) (Duke Of Marmalade (IRE))
Tnr: I R Jones Rdr: Dean Holland 57.5
9
8.7
Statue Of Dreams
- 4m Statue Of Liberty (USA) x Isle Of Dreams (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: M Croston & G Gilmour Rdr: J Bowditch 57.5
10
15.7
Rittenband
- 4g Polanski (AUS) x Baby Nation (AUS) (Archway (IRE))
Tnr: Aaron Laing Rdr: B Rawiller 59.5
More Reading...
Winning Debut for Expensive Almanzor - Karaka Million Next
The highest priced yearling by Cambridge Stud's in form sire Almanzor (Fr) sold in 2025, Stromlinien made a winning debut on Sunday and has a half-brother to be offered at Karaka Book 1.
$20,000 Yearling Yellow Brick Becomes $3.5million Earner!
A new chapter in the Yellow Brick fairytale was written at the Gold Coast on Saturday night when Tony and Maddy Sears’ pin-up galloper showed his trademark heart to win the $1.5 million Racing Queensland Magic Millions QTIS Open (1300m).
Vinery Magic Draft a One Stop Shop
A proven nursery of G1 winning juveniles and also home to one of the hottest young sires in the country in Ole Kirk, Vinery Stud will present a draft at Magic Millions that is a one stop shop for stallion syndicates, racehorse syndicators and everyone in between.
Blue Flame Lights Up Magic Millions Off the Track Cup
With $100,000 in prizemoney on the line, the Queensland Off-The-Track Cup Final at the Magic Millions Showjumping and Polo Spectacular on Sunday delivered a brilliant display of retrained Thoroughbreds stepping into exciting second careers beyond racing.
Sires With Winners - Saturday January 10
Here is the full list of 79 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Inglis Quinella in $3million Sunlight Slot Race
Exciting colt Grafterburners (Graff) emerged as a potential superstar with a slashing victory in $3m Magic Millions Sunlight (1100m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday night.
Sires With Winners - Sunday January 11
Here is the full list of 56 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
G1 Potential for $3million Sunlight Winner Grafterburners
Group 1 targets await emerging sprinter Grafterburners after a brilliant win in Saturday night’s $3 million TAB Magic Millions Sunlight (1100m) at the Gold Coast.
Ammirati Wins Listed Gingernuts - Full Brother in K1
An unusual plan paid big dividends for the connections of Ammirati when the big gelding confirmed New Zealand Derby plans with a dominant victory in the Listed Trackside Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie on Sunday.
Veteran Speedster Acromantula Back to Best - Half-Brother Perth MM
Veteran sprinter Acromantula turned back the clock with a display of low level flying to record an unexpected victory in the Listed Miss Andretti Stakes at Ascot.